Thursday, 27 September 2012

If you’re a community theatre company struggling with promoting your shows, then Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce that we are now partnering with STAF in order to offer you two cost effective packages for our community theatre members to assist with your marketing and publicity.

These packages will connect community theatres to STAF’s skilled team to help you create media kits, to prepare and distribute media releases, and to develop specific strategies.

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce that we are offering two new workshops focused on theatre governance.

Is being a Board member of a theatre or cultural organization for you? This is an interactive workshop facilitated by Brenda Barr-Worsnop. Do you have a passion for theatre and the cultural sector? Do you believe theatre is important to the cultural life of communities? If you think you might have something more to offer the theatre sector and cultural sector, then Board membership might be for you! Theatre companies and organizations always need skilled Board members. Serving on a board is a dynamic and fulfilling way to support the theatre community. Do You Want To Make A Difference? is running on November 16 at 2pm.

Suddenly you look around and realize that those running your organization represent a skilled, experienced and mature group. What is going to happen when you don’t want the responsibility of running the organization, when all you want to do is create? Succession planning is about strengthening your own skill as a leader while planning for that day when you don’t want to bear the responsibility of leadership. This workshop with Cheryl Ewing will guide you through strategies for strengthening your organization for today and tomorrow in a way that honours the past while moving into the future. Keeping Your Theatre/Arts Board Healthy is running on November 17 at 10am.

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

We still have a few spaces available in our Self-Start: The Basics of Producing workshop. If you want to do a show but have never produced professionally before, and if you want to know what questions to ask first, this session is for you! Self-Start: The Basics of Producing is on October 10

The Toronto Fringe Festival is now open for applications to the new play festival (deadline of October 26), Fringe lottery (November 5), Culturally Diverse Artists Projects (November 5), and Site-Specific Art (first-come, first-served)

In Kingston, both professional theatres (including Theatre Kingston) and amateur theatres (including Domino Theatre) are coming together to present The Library Chronicles in October, featuring plays by Kingston’s own Judith Thompson and “up-and-comer” Alex Dault—Toronto audiences who saw The Gladstone Variations will recognize the concept for the production

And check out the flickr galleries of "The Toy Box" from Playground Studios - a fascinating project that included one of our Spring 2012 Professional Theatre Training Program recipients, Kat Misztal-McCubbing. Two more days at Toronto City Hall, with a return to Theatre Passe Muraille in December

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

We're pleased to announce that Theatre Ontario's Showcase 2013 will be held on January 20 and 21, 2013 at the Jane Mallett Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre. Showcase features post-secondary theatre school graduating classes from across Ontario, and the National Theatre School in Montreal.

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Are you an actor? Set designer? Production manager? Technician? If you work in theatre and you don't already have one, you've probably asked yourself, "Do I really need a website?" In this workshop, professional web designer, Paul Snepsts shows you why the answer is an emphatic, "Yes you do!" The name of the game is "Get more work…and better work." Bah – I Don't Need A Website! Right?: Anatomy of a Successful Web Presence is on September 25 at 9am

Where does your social media content come from? What ‘voice’ should be representing your organization online? What’s the latest with live-blogging/live-tweeting? How can online tools and presence assist instead of distract from the work? Since 2006, praxistheatre.com has been a key hub for live performance and online engagement in Canada. Praxis Theatre Artistic Director Michael Wheeler investigates the pitfalls and opportunities organizations encounter when they integrate with the internet. Live Performance and Online Engagement is on October 3 at 9am

Our Adjudicators Symposium is a professional development opportunity for established adjudicators. It will allow them to compare techniques and practices, discuss their training needs and opportunities, and network. The Adjudicators Symposium is on September 29 at 9:30am

Also, there are just under two weeks left until the next application deadline for our Professional Theatre Training Program, providing financial support for mentorships. The application deadline is October 1.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

Deadline to apply for Buddies In Bad Times’ Young Creators Unit—for queer-identified artists 25 and under—is September 21

Marcia Johnson’s playwriting workshop for established, emerging, and new playwrights starts on September 25

New on The Bulletin Board

OAC Theatre Creators’ Reserve calls for submissions from Puppetmongers Theatre in Toronto deadline is October 1

The Paprika Festival in Toronto is now inviting submissions for their programs; deadline is October 12

Acting Up Stage Company in Toronto is now inviting applications to audition for One Song Glory, their free professional music theatre training program for performers under 19; audition dates are October 14 and 27

Monday, 17 September 2012

In Southwestern Ontario
Sep. 18, My Fair Lady (High School Project 2012) at The Grand Theatre (London)
Sep. 19, Just A Ticket at Century Church Theatre (Hillsburgh)
Sep. 21, First Dance at Tottering Biped Theatre (Burlington)
Sep. 21, The 39 Steps at London Community Players
Sep. 21, Wrong For Each Other at Theatre Burlington
Sep. 21, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) at Theatre Ancaster (Hamilton)

In Toronto
Sep. 19, No Great Mischief at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Sep. 21, The Role Model at August Productions Theatrical
Sep. 21, Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead at Hart House Theatre
Sep. 21, February at Alumnae Theatre Company

In Central Ontario
Sep. 17, Wingfield Lost And Found at Theatre Collingwood
Sep. 20, You Give Me Fever at Theatre Orangeville

Monday, 10 September 2012

In Central Ontario
Sep. 11, Henry And Alice: Into The Wild at Orillia Opera House
Sep. 14, Steel Magnolias at Algonquin Theatre (Huntsville)

In Eastern Ontario
Sep. 14, The Secret Mask at Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa) with previews from Sep. 11
Sep. 15, Hay Fever at Ottawa Little Theatre

In South Central Ontario
Sep. 12, Proof at Markham Little Theatre
Sep. 13, Looking at West End Studio Theatre (Oakville)
Sep. 14, The Long Weekend at The Curtain Club (Richmond Hill) with a preview on Sep. 13

In Southwestern Ontario
Sep. 12, Blue Suede Shoes: Memories Of The King at Drayton Entertainment: Drayton Festival Theatre, with a matinee preview
Sep. 13, The Love List at Drayton Entertainment: Schoolhouse Theatre (St. Jacobs) with previews from Sep. 12
Sep. 13, Harvest at Elmira Theatre Company
Sep. 13, The Horribly Horrifying Fun House of Death at Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre

In Toronto
Sep. 11, No Great Mischief at Tarragon Theatre, in previews
Sep. 12, The Queen West Project at Theatre Passe Muraille
Sep. 12, Toy Box at Theatre Passe Muraille
Sep. 15, Obaaberima at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

Friday, 7 September 2012

Brendan Healy’s Facebook note “Four thoughts for my future self (that are not about Ken Gass or the Factory Theatre but that have certainly been affected by Ken Gass and the Factory Theatre)” has been circulated widely, with good reason. I am grateful that our community has leaders like him

Talent Bank Member Lindsay Price reflects on an article about costume designer Jane Greenwood reminding us both how prepared we must be, and how we must also be prepared to throw it all away because things change

Marshall Botnivick observes on HowlRound that the theatre community—which “prides itself on progressive values”—is part of the “war against youth” by hoarding resources, exploiting labour through unpaid internships, and getting rich off the high cost of education; thankfully, he also proposes some solutions

Both Canadian Stage in Toronto and the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott reported record audiences this summer—clearly the good Ontario weather this summer has had a positive effect for outdoor theatres

The Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology presented its annual awards—among the honoured were long-time Theatre Ontario members Janet Sellery (the Ron Epp Memorial Award for Professional Achievement) and Peter MacKinnon (the Education Achievement Award), and our peers at Theatre Alberta (Honorary Membership). These recognitions were all well-deserved!

Thursday, 6 September 2012

In 2009, in response to feedback from the membership, Theatre Ontario set out to improve the quality of adjudication in the province. This has focused in a number of areas such as training new adjudicators, improving trial adjudications, and exploring methods for gathering feedback.

We’ve also been creating professional development opportunities for existing adjudicators through our annual Adjudicators Symposium. We are pleased to announce our annual Theatre Ontario Adjudicators Symposium will be held on September 29 at 9:30am. The Symposium is a professional development opportunity for established adjudicators, allowing them to compare techniques and practices, discuss their training needs, and network.Read more about Theatre Ontario’s Adjudicators Symposium on the Theatre Ontario website

Wednesday, 5 September 2012

Many individual artists may not have a web presence at all. Many organizations have a presence, but struggle with online engagement. Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce two new workshops to help you with these challenges.

Our grant writing workshops with the Ontario Arts Council and Toronto Arts Council for organizations and collectives and individuals are now full, but we are keeping a waiting list in case spaces become available.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

Deadline for the submissions for the 34th Rhubarb Festival at Buddies In Bad Times in Toronto is Friday, September 7

New on The Bulletin Board

Signs of fall: Leaves starting to turn, children back in school, theatres sending out their calls for applications for their OAC Theatre Creators Reserve programs. The Toronto Fringe Festival is the first out of the gate (perhaps inspired by their own frantic poster sprint); their application deadline is October 3.

Tuesday, 4 September 2012

In Toronto
Sep. 4, The Second City's Improv All-Stars at The Second City
Sep. 8, Death Of A Salesman at Soulpepper Theatre (with previews from Sep. 5)

In Eastern Ontario
Sep. 8, A Nice Family Gathering at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg) with previews from Sep. 6
Sep. 8, Henry And Alice: Into The Wild at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) with a preview on Sep. 7

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About Theatre Ontario

Serving Ontario's Theatre community since 1971, Theatre Ontario develops and supports theatre practitioners across the province, by providing resources, networking, training and advocacy. To access our services, become a member, or donate to support our work, visit the Theatre Ontario website